Durbin to Wolf: End Opposition to 1,100 New Jobs in Illinois

Durbin urges Republican House Chairman to sign reprogramming request that would give approval to Obama Administration purchase of Thomson prison

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called for Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA) to end his opposition to opening Thomson Correctional Center as a maximum-security federal prison – a move that would create more than 1,100 jobs in Northwest Illinois. Durbin’s call comes just hours after Attorney General Eric Holder sent to Congress a new request to reprogram already appropriated funding within the Department of Justice that can be used to acquire and activate Thomson Correctional Center.

In a letter to Wolf, Durbin wrote: “Despite your rejection of a similar reprogramming request in May 2011, I believe a close examination of today’s reprogramming will demonstrate the issues that were of concern to you more than a year ago have been addressed by Administration officials, including funding sources.”

In May 2011, Wolf objected to a formal request to reprogram funding for the purchase of Thomson prison and made clear to Durbin that his rejection was based on the fear that Guantanamo Bay detainees would be transferred to the prison despite the fact that it was made clear over a year ago, in an April 4, 2011 letter, that the Obama Administration abandoned that plan. Last month, in response to questions from Durbin during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in June, Holder again confirmed that the Obama Administration will never seek to transfer Guantanamo Bay detainees to Thomson Correctional Center, but remains committed to purchasing Thomson and opening it as a maximum-security federal prison.

“The Department of Justice, working with the Office of Management and Budget, has identified existing funds that could be used for the purchase of Thomson and that this reprogramming is acceptable to your Senate counterpart, Senator Barbara Mikulski. Senator Mark Kirk and I have repeatedly pointed out that the sale of the Thomson Correctional Center to the federal government enjoys broad-based local and state support,” wrote Durbin. “I hope you will act promptly to approve this reprogramming request.”

The sale of Thomson enjoys bipartisan support from members of the Illinois and Iowa Congressional Delegations as well as broad-based local and state support. Sale of the facility will lead to significant job creation, more than 1,100 jobs, and inject at least $1 billion into the region’s economy. The DOJ believes that the acquisition of Thomson will help alleviate serious federal prison overcrowding, currently running as high as 50 percent over rated capacity, and help increase the safety of the system’s prison guards.

Text of the letter is below:

July 27, 2012

The Honorable Frank Wolf

U.S. House of Representatives

Washington, DC 20515

Dear Congressman Wolf:

Today, in your capacity as Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science, you again received a reprogramming request from the Department of Justice for federal funding to purchase the Thomson Correctional Center in Carroll County, Illinois, from the State of Illinois. I write in strong support of that request and to urge you to approve this important reprogramming as soon as possible.

We are both aware of the history of this project. Despite your rejection of a similar reprogramming request in May 2011, I believe a close examination of today’s reprogramming will demonstrate the issues that were of concern to you more than a year ago have been addressed by Administration officials, including funding sources.

In recent weeks, the Obama Administration has clearly restated that they will not seek to transfer any detainees from U.S. facilities at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to Thomson. As you know, current federal law prohibits these transfers. In addition, Attorney General Holder committed, under oath before the Senate Judiciary Committee on June 12, 2012, that no detainee transfers would take place to Thomson no matter the state of the law.

The Department of Justice, working with the Office of Management and Budget, has identified existing funds that could be used for the purchase of Thomson and that this reprogramming is acceptable to your Senate counterpart, Senator Barbara Mikulski.

Senator Mark Kirk and I have repeatedly pointed out that the sale of the Thomson Correctional Center to the federal government enjoys broad-based local and state support. It will lead to significant economic development in the region, including more than 1,100 jobs. The Bureau of Prisons believes that the acquisition of Thomson will help alleviate the safety problems associated with serious federal prison overcrowding, currently running higher than 50 percent over rated capacity, and especially help increase the safety of the system’s prison guards.

I hope you will act promptly to approve this reprogramming request. I will work with you and the Illinois Congressional Delegation to open the Thomson Correctional Center as a federal maximum security prison in the near future.

Sincerely,

Richard J. Durbin

United States Senator

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